HOW TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER with textile artist Paolo Arao

Dec 14

The fact that Paolo Arao and I both showed up to the podcast studio wearing orange winter hats and navy hoodies should tell you something of the kindred connection I feel with Paolo. After years of being online friends, we met up for breakfast about a month ago before going to see his most recent show that was about to close. Over a massive (and truly delicious) breakfast sandwich, we kept discovering commonalities: the way we think about color, how we navigate creative hiccups, our shared love of tarot. I knew right away that I wanted to invite him to SEAMSIDE so you could get a chance to meet him.

In this conversation, we discuss:
① how painting, music, and textiles can all weave together in a creative practice
② how our bodies can sense the power of textiles
③ how working with textiles can increase our tolerance for the unknown

CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS

01:46 — How I Met Paolo
03:55 — We Draw a Tarot Card
06:47 — Paolo's Early Relationship with Textiles
09:11 — Transition from Painting to Textiles
15:45 — Paolo's Loom Songs Exhibition
18:53 — Exploring Paolo's Color Palette
24:32 — Unresolved Art Pieces
27:29 — The Concept of Time in Art
27:49 — The Story of a Found Garment
29:06 — The Power of Time in Textile Art
29:21 — The Story of a Gifted Quilt
31:29 — The Influence of Music on Weaving
33:04 — The Connection Between Art and Heritage
39:00 — The Evolution of a Quilt
42:27 — The Human Connection to Textiles